Other Worlds Than These
by prettieburd
Summary: While coming down from Mt. Ravatogh, Noctis finds himself flung across the expanse of existence, and finds himself in a world unlike any he knows. His only solace comes from the familiar face that greets him, although his journey home will be the hardest he's faced so far. SPOILERS FOR KINGSGLAIVE NOW IN CHAPTER 3! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
1. Chapter 1

…1… A Slip Sideways

Noctis isn't quite sure what happened.

One moment, they're coming down from the slopes of Mount Ravatogh, same as a few times before; an easy drop and a quick slide to the bottom. Simple. Except, something had gone wrong this time. A slight twist in his hips had thrown Noctis off of his trajectory, sending him instead careening toward the hard rock wall. He heard Ignis yell, had thrown his arms up to protect his head from the imminent collision, and then…

Nothing.

Everything had gone pitch black and he could feel himself falling. And falling. Head over heels.

Far, far behind him, he heard his companions calling out, calling his name, but they eventually faded into the nothingness around him. He was moving fast, the wind of his descent burning his eyes until they watered. An eternity in the wind and darkness swept over him, and time had no meaning in this void.

Suddenly, there was a wall of light rushing up at him, making him cry out as it tore into his eyes. He burst through what felt like a raincloud, soaked to the bone and freezing. Blurs became solid masses as he careened off unforgiving objects (he'd later learn to be storage buildings), and hurtled full force into the ground. As he went, he heard and felt two snaps in his left leg and one in his right arm, causing him to scream in agony. The impact with the earth cut it off, thankfully.

Noctis lay there, fighting nausea, tears, hell to get the air _back_ into his starved lungs. It rushed into him and he spasmed, upsetting his broken bones and making him scream raggedly again.

He finally stilled mostly, laying on the ground, staring up at the cloudy, darkened sky, and realized that it was raining.

"I-Iggy…" he croaked. "Put… the top… up… w-would you? G-gettin'… w… wet…"

Consciousness was slowly fading, the light narrowing in his vision. He blinked, muffled voices reaching his ears, the sound of footsteps splashing in puddles of water. He blinked again, long and slow, and when he was able to pry his eyes open again, he was looking up at raven hair and vivid blue eyes.

" _Is that… me?"_ he wondered a moment before his chest stilled and he fell into the darkness completely.

When he woke sometime later, Noctis' first impulse was to groan, the sound echoing in his head. Above him, a bright white light glared into his burning eyes, spiking through his brain like needles. He lifted his right arm, remembering vaguely the sound of bones snapping in it, and noted that his bracer was gone. Dropping the hand heavily on his stomach, he felt unfamiliar fabric and realized he wasn't in his own clothes. Panic nipped at him, making his heart race.

His first bit of movement proved that one, his broken bones had been healed, and two, they still hurt like hell. His left leg throbbed, sending violent signals to his brain when he wiggled his toes. No boots, no socks. Lifting his head slightly off the pillow under it, his vision swam and he groaned, letting it fall back down.

"Hey, easy there Highness," a familiar voice spoke from his side. "Healing potions in this place work a bit different than we're used to."  
Noctis felt his heart race, but for a different reason. He snapped his head to the side, trying to find the source of the voice, a voice he thought he'd never hear again once Insomnia went dark. The voice of a friend, a teacher, and _protector._ The movement made his stomach quake and it took all he had not to vomit all over himself.

"N… Nyx?" he whispered, blinking hard to clear his swimming vision. "Nyx… Ulric?"

The figure that stepped out of the shadows of the room was so familiar, so welcome, that Noctis felt his heart swell and shatter. The hair had grown in on the sides where once it was shaved, and the decorative braids were gone in favor of a short tail at the base of his neck. But the eyes, those dark blue unwavering eyes were the same. The smile was the same, too.

"Nyx…"

"Yes, Highness. It's me…" Nyx Ulric boldly took Noctis' hand in his, something he wouldn't have done so openly in the past. "You're alright. Just rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

Noctis went back to sleep with the name Nyx dancing on his tongue.

When he woke again, Nyx was still there, proving that he hadn't been dreaming as he'd feared. Noctis's head was a little clearer and the pain in his body wasn't so great. The Glaive helped him to sit up, shifting the bed so it would let him be more upright. He felt a little woozy, but the feeling passed and he let himself stare at Nyx, seated by the bed.

He wasn't wearing the Kingsglaive uniform Noctis was accustomed to seeing. He was wearing all black still, yes, but the cut and design were different, plainer fabric than the usual leather, less to show off rank or position in service. The whole ensemble was different, making Nyx still seem more like a dream than an actual person he could reach out and touch. As if seeing the thoughts and doubts on the Prince's face, Nyx reached out and took his hand in both of his own again.

"In case you're wondering," he said with a lopsided smile. "I convinced them to let me change your clothes."

Noctis felt his cheeks burn slightly, but he smiled back. "I appreciate that."

Nyx nodded, rubbing a thumb over Noct's wrist. "I figured there'd be some things you didn't want complete strangers to see."

His smile shifted slightly, but he kept eye contact with the older man. He really did appreciate Nyx for his discretion.

"Nyx… where… what… m-my dad…?"

The Glaive dropped his gaze to the floor, sighing softly. He had hoped to avoid this conversation for a while yet.

"Highness… Noct… please, not now. You need your rest." Nyx kept his voice low, but firm.

Noctis bit his lip and looked away, sulking. It might work on others, but Nyx was not Ignis Scientia, and that pout wasn't going to win him over.

"It's a long story," he explained. "And it's hard. I want you to be stronger before I tell you what happened. Be patient for me, Highness."

The Prince sighed, realizing he would get nowhere with Nyx. The man was a worse mental brick wall than Gladiolus. Thinking of his companions caused his heart to twinge, so he shifted his gaze back to Nyx once more.

"Okay… fine. Then tell me where I am."

Nyx sat back, shifting so he was only holding Noctis's hand in one of his own, the other settling on his thigh.

"This place is called Gaia. You're in a city called Midgar."  
"Gaia? Not Eos?"

"No, Highness. You're a long, long way from Eos. And a fair amount of time. How long has it been since Insomnia fell?"

Noctis thought about it, having tried not to for so long that the time had sort of blurred in his memory. "Uh… couple weeks… maybe? Give or take. So much has been happening…"

"Weeks? Damn…" Nyx closed his eyes, rubbing his face. "Weeks. Just weeks. Gods be damned."

"Nyx?" Noctis squeezed his hand, trying to get his attention back. "What's up?"

"Nothing, Highness. It's nothing." Nyx tried to give him a smile. "You'll be happy to know, though," he got to his feet, letting Noctis's hand go, "that I can still do this…"

Holding his hands up, he settled into a ready stance. He dropped a wink that made Noctis's heart leap, and with a flick of his wrists and a burst of blue and yellow sparks, Nyx's Kukris appeared in his hands. He spun them around on his fingers before sheathing them, sending them away with another flick of his wrists.

"Wait… wait wait…" Noctis was confused. "The Glaive… they can… because of my father… but you said… you _said_ …"

"I know what I said, Highness," Nyx sat back down, taking hold of the hand again. "I know. And I can't explain it, I really can't. But I can do that, and I can warp. It freaks some of the locals out, but it's come in handy while I've been here. But it also means that, when you're stronger and healthier, you'll be alright."

Noctis could feel the headache stirring in his brain, like Titan had taken up bowling across his cranium. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in such a way that Nyx was painfully reminded of the Prince's stoic advisor. Nyx bit his lip, waiting to see what the Prince would say about that revelation. It seemed, though, that Noctis could think of nothing to say for a long while. Nyx was alright with the silence. They'd been good at the silence in the past.

"Is there anyway I can get out of here?" Noctis finally said, his voice small. "I want some air. I need some air."

"Sure… there's a catch, though." Nyx jerked his head over his shoulder, motioning.

Noctis looked, a scowl marring his features. Near the door stood a wheelchair, much plainer than the one he'd been forced to use in Tenebrae, smaller too, but a wheelchair no less.

"I'm sure I can walk."

"And the doctors have said you can't. And in Midgar, we listen to the doctors."

Noctis could hear the smile in Nyx's voice, even if his lips refused to give it away. He was already going to get it before Noctis could even protest.

"Can I at least have MY clothes?" he whined, unable to think of anything else to say. "Where are my clothes?"

"They've been cleaned and put away for now," Nyx said patiently, parking the chair alongside the bed. "You're stuck in hospital fatigues for the moment, Highness. But I'll be sure to hide your bird legs with a blanket while we're out."

Noctis couldn't help but laugh at the informal treatment Nyx was giving him. Even back home, when the two of them had found themselves alone, Nyx would treat him just like anyone else. He was worse than Prompto about it, except the fact that Nyx remembered to call him 'Your Highness' once in a while.

Nyx slipped an arm under Noct's shoulders, the other under his knees. Noctis looped an arm around his neck for balance as the man easily lifted him from the bed. He could feel the more solidly formed muscles of the other beneath his clothes, and wondered how in the world Nyx had changed so much. It had only been a month at the most since they'd last been together. Up close now, he could see new lines on Nyx's face, as if he frowned too much these days. There was a new scar on his neck, just behind his ear, hidden partially in the hairline, and a few inches below that, another that crawled beneath the collar of his shirt. Noctis wondered if there were more.

He wondered if he'd be shown.

Nyx stopped moving, noticing how closely Noctis was looking at him. He knew why.

"We'll discuss it later," he said softly as reminder. "I promise."

Noctis sighed as he was settled into the chair, which was more comfortable than it looked, helping to tuck the light blanket around his waist and legs.

"Ready to go, Highness?" Nyx stood behind the chair, hands on the grips.

"Forward, Kingsglaive," Noctis responded, tilting his head back to look up at Nyx. "Show me this world called Gaia."

Looking down at Noctis, Nyx felt the strongest compulsion to kiss him, but he fought it. Now was not the time or the place. Noctis needed time, whether he knew it or not, to adjust to this place. To Gaia and Midgar, and the brand new political arena he was going to be thrown into. So instead, he winked at the Prince, and maneuvered him out the door.

"Time for the tour," he said, heading for the closest hall with a wall of windows in it.

Noctis felt his breath catch as he took his first look at the city of Midgar. Well, city might not be the word for it. Monstrosity, perhaps. The sun was out, riding high in the sky, gleaming on the two massive reactors he could see from the windows. He gasped, clutching the blanket tightly in his fists, eyes wide and watering. Something felt off… positively _wrong…_ with what he was looking at. Something so distinctly disturbing that he began to shake so violently that Nyx was immediately on his knees in front of him, gripping his face gently in his hands.

"Highness… Noct… Noct! Look at me!" Nyx had to raise his voice slightly to draw those bright blue eyes to his own darks. "Look at me. Right here. Right here, baby, that's it…"

Slowly, Noctis came out of his fit, staring hard into Nyx's eyes. He tried to speak, but couldn't form words.

"I know," Nyx whispered, wiping tears Noctis wasn't even aware of way with his thumbs. "I know, I felt it too, the first time I saw them. And we'll talk about it later, when you're with me at my place and we're alone. I'm sorry I didn't warn you, Noct. I should have, but I didn't think…"

"G-g-get me… a-away from…" Noctis choked, fighting to keep his eyes on Nyx. "P-p-please…"

"Of course. Right away." Nyx turned the chair away, letting Noctis look at the blank wall before rising to stand behind it again. "I'm sorry."

Nyx went in search of something Noctis could see without panicking. He felt guilt prickle at him; he'd hoped that Noctis would be spared that, the feeling of wrongness and despair that seemed to rise up from the city. It wasn't just the city though, it was this whole planet really. Nyx had thought that the remaining affects of the Ring of the Lucii had made him sensitive to things he normally wouldn't notice, but since it seemed Noct had not come into contact with it yet, he supposed otherwise. He felt horrible for what he'd done to the Prince, but the further they got from the windows, the better the young man seemed to feel. He'd take that as a good sign, and plan better for the days to come.


	2. Chapter 2

…2… Bite My Tongue

Nyx stayed with Noctis as much as he could over the next few days. When he would have to go, he'd simply say he had 'things to do,' and refuse to say much else. One morning, he brought Noctis a couple of books.

"I thought you'd like to get acquainted with this place," he said, setting them in Noctis' lap. "One's a basic history of the world, the green one outlines the political structure, which trust me isn't as bad as back home, and the bottom one is about this city. It'll explain those things you saw through the window."

Noctis shuddered, looking down at the books. "Thanks… I guess. Iggy will be glad to know you're giving me homework, at least."

Nyx smiled, but said nothing. He could see the pain in the Prince's face when he mentioned his friends, even if Noctis worked to mask it in his voice. Nyx had told the younger man for a long time that his eyes were always giving him away, which is why Noctis could never lie to him. Nyx just opted to overlook his attempts most of the time.

A few days before his doctor was talking about releasing him into Nyx's care, Noctis was bored, flipping through one of the books. He wasn't really paying attention to what it was going on about, just idly looking at the pictures and illustrations. There was a knock, and he perked up, thinking Nyx had finally made it.

But the person that stepped inside was not Nyx.

"Hey there… you don't remember me…" the newcomer started.

"Yes I do. Sort of." Noctis shrugged. "I was sort of blacking out of it when I saw you, though. I got confused for a second when…"

The man laughed, propping his hands on his hips. "I'm sure I had the same thought. Am I looking in a mirror?"

Noctis smiled a little. "Close to that, yes."

"I'm Zack. Zack Fair." The grin was infectious as the man stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Nyx tells me your name is Noctis."

The Prince took the offered hand, shaking it, noting that his uniform was very similar to the one Nyx now wore.  
"Noctis, right. You friends with Nyx?"

"Sure, you could say that. I found him, too." Zack motioned to the chair and at Noctis's shrug, he sat down in it. "Not in the bad shape you were in, no. But not where he should have been, from the look."

Noctis looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Nyx showed up in one of the Soldier training fields just outside of the city. Not falling from the sky like you, so you have him beat on entrances. He just sort of… showed up. Out of nowhere, just… _poof_." Zack motioned with his hands like an explosion. "All out of sorts, started yelling something, then fell over on his face…"

Zack stopped, taking in the look on Noctis' face. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head.

"He… hasn't told you anything… has he?"

"No…"

"Oh. Maybe I shouldn't say much more."  
"No, it's fine." Noctis waved a hand. "He just keeps putting it off, wanting me to be better and stronger. I think he just… I don't know. Something about him is off."

"No, he's in peak physical condition," Zack said with sureness in his voice. "Mentally healthy, too. I would know, he's part of my company."  
"Your what?"

"Uh… maybe I'll leave that for Nyx to suss out with you…" Zack looked uncomfortable, fidgeting in his seat. "It's not my place."

Noctis sighed. Too many secrets, too many questions, and too many damned excuses to keep him in the dark. Nyx hadn't taken him out of the room again since the first time, and the wheelchair wasn't left in the room at all. The pain in his leg and arm had subsided greatly, but it was still there if he did too much. It was driving him crazy, being locked in and cooped up. It wouldn't be soon enough that they'd let Nyx taken him out of here for good.

"Noctis? Heeeeyyyy Noctis!" Zack was standing, a worried look on his face. "You still in there?"

Noctis blinked, bobbing his head in a nod. "Yes, I'm here. Sorry. I got a little lost in my thoughts there."

"If you're worried about Nyx, don't be. I've known him long enough to know when he's not saying something, and even when he does, there's a really good reason for it. Just give him a chance."

"How long have you known him?" Noctis asked, his voice innocent.

"Going on… two years now…" Zack did a little math in his head. "Yah. Two years."

As soon as Zack noticed that Noctis's eyes had flashed to a thunderous purple hue, he muttered his goodbyes and beat a hasty retreat.

Nyx was down on the training grounds, sizing up a line of new recruits. These Soldier types were so much different from the 'Glaive, he found it hard to dumb down his methods at times, especially since they relied on machine guns and simple weapons over magic. He'd been quick to learn, though, picking up the use of their weaponry much better than most. Of course, they'd run him through rigorous testing first, trying to ensure that he wasn't some corporate spy or something. He guessed, at least. But when he'd shown military prowess, someone up at the top had perked their ears and sent him off to see Lazard Deusericus, a stuffy tight shirt that reminded him so horribly of Ignis… if Ignis had a sense of humor… that his throat had tightened in response. They both had that habit of straightening their glasses with very nearly the same smug sort of movement.

It had taken time, but he'd managed to get over the aloof way he treated the man, even after he became his superior. Lazard, for his part, seemed to take it all in stride.

"I get the same basic treatment from a trio of First Class Soldiers," he'd said one day, stopping Nyx before he could leave the office. "It's not uncommon to me, but know that I am always available if you need anything."

He couldn't explain it, but after that, he'd started to like Lazard. He liked Zack, too, in his way. To him, he was a mixture of Noctis and that Prompto kid, serious and idiotic all at once. Still, he couldn't fault the man; he did his job and he did it damn well, too.

"Alright," he said, pulling himself from his thoughts and back into the present moment. "Listen up. We're running yesterdays drills again, and if you _all_ don't get it right this time, we're going to run them until next week. These aren't that hard. If you can't complete these drills, you might as well go home."

Sighing, he took his place on a raised platform and set the cadets off. This was certainly a far cry from the way he'd been trained. Such rigorous exercises were merely secondary to learning control over emotions and the magic that was loaned to them from the strength of…

Nyx punched himself in the hip, banishing those thoughts. He focused on the recruits, noticing the ones that had already fallen behind, noting them for later. From the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar raven haired figure climbing up to join him.

"Zack."  
"Nyx."

They watched quietly for a time, Zack's fingers fidgeting on the railing.

"What's on your mind, Zack?"

"I… might have done something bad."

"Meaning?"

"I might have… said something I shouldn't have."

"To who?" Nyx turned to face the man, noticing how his shoulders had slumped and he wouldn't look him in the eye. "Zack… were you at the hospital?"

"I didn't mean to!" Zack threw his hands up, looking at Nyx finally. "Seriously! I just wanted to see how he was. I know you said you weren't telling him much, but I forgot for a second and… he asked and it sounded so innocent!"

"What?

"He asked how long I've known you…"  
"Zack…" Nyx felt his face twist into a grimace, his normally schooled stoicism lost under his annoyance.

"I said I was sorry. You know I can't always control what comes out of my mouth."

Nyx turned away, gripping the railing of the platform and yelling down at one of the recruits to get a move on. He tried to bury his frustration by focusing the men and women he was helping to train.

"Hey Nyx…" Zack's voice was hesitant, but curious. "Nyx, why were his eyes purple?"

The Glaive snapped, swore under his breath, and took off toward the city. Zack called after him, confused, but Nyx ignored him. He had some cleaning up to do.

Noctis had finally calmed down and was flipping through the political text when the door opened and Nyx stepped in, followed by his scowling doctor.

"Great new, Noct." Nyx sounded upbeat, but Noctis could tell that it was put on. "You've been released. You get to come home with me tonight."

The Prince could see that the doctor had been coerced into this as he was handed a bag with all of his clothes and items tucked inside.

"There's some pain killers in there," the man said, his voice brusque. "It'll be a few more days still before the pain will be completely gone, so you may or may not need them. Mr. Ulric here has all of the instructions, so… there's nothing left for me to say or do except to encourage you to come back if anything changes."

The doctor left in a huff, leaving Noctis holding his bag and Nyx standing by the bed like a statue. Noctis shifted to the edge of the bed, wiggling around carefully until he could take the shirt off, dropping it onto the floor. He didn't look at Nyx as he dug his own shirt out and pulled it on, sighing in relief at the feeling of his own clothing. When he went to stand to change his pants, he stumbled a little, and only Nyx's arm around his shoulders kept him from falling. He grudgingly let the older man help him change his pants and put his socks and boots on. The wheelchair reappeared and they left the hospital in silence.

Nyx had acquired a car to get Noctis to his place. The ride was silent and tense, Noctis taking in the sites of the city as they passed.

Nyx wondered what Noct was thinking.

He didn't ask.

When Nyx helped him into the small apartment he was living in, Noctis was struck by a wave of nostalgia. It was very nearly the same as the one he'd kept in Insomnia; sparse but warm, bare but full of enough that it was a home. Nyx settled him onto the couch, then fell into the arm chair beside it.

"Look…" he started, but Noctis held up a hand.

"I'm not… I mean, yes, I'm upset. But if you still don't want to talk about it, we won't."  
"We have to."

"Maybe I don't want to…"

Nyx looked over, spotting Noct's petulant child act creeping in. He rolled his eyes, tossing a booted foot up onto the table.

"Yes, you do. Noct, you've been itching to ask me questions since the moment you woke up. You tried to ask them in the first two minutes. You _need_ to talk about it. You _need_ to hear about it. The dirty, nasty, gods damned truth. And you're going to hear it, whether you like it or not, because it's killed me this last week to keep secrets from you."

Noctis blinked. It was hard to get a single sentence or two out of the man, much less and entire tirade.

"When's the last time you got laid?" Noctis asked, trying to kill the tension with one of the uncouth jokes that Nyx had thrown at him from time to time.

"You."

Nyx deadpanned. Noctis sucked in a breath, cheeks flushing brightly, a little 'oh' leaving as he exhaled.

"Yes. But that's not what this is about."

Noctis stared at Nyx for a long couple of minutes, noticing again the new lines on his face, the new scars peaking out around his neckline.

"So… uh, two years, huh?"

"Yes. Two very long years."


	3. Chapter 3

…3… Hearth and Home

When Nyx began to talk, Noctis was ready for him to shut up. The only thing stopping him from putting his hands over his ears and screaming was the fact that Nyx would only pry them away and continue.  
So, he sat on the couch in the Glaive's tiny apartment, hugged himself tightly, and listened.

 _That last battle, before you left, before our world ended, wasn't right. It made no sense, the things the Empire was doing. Beasts and Daemons everywhere, Glaive being torn apart. Those are normal. But they dropped the Diamond Weapon, then turned and ran. They claimed it wasn't running, but it still didn't feel right. I wish I could've figured it out sooner, Highness. I wish I could've been smart enough to do the math, to add it up. I wish I could have told you that night, before your father sent you away, but I just… I couldn't figure it out. And then, you were gone.  
_ _The day it all went to hell, I woke up with this knot in my stomach. It hurt like hell, but I'd had them before... so I ignored it for a while. And maybe that's where I went wrong, but nothing had been simple for the last few days before that. The captain had been on my ass, Libertus was going through his turmoil and I couldn't just leave him to it. We found out that the Glaive were being shunted aside for the talks of peace with the Nifs, like we'd never done a damn bit of good in all of our service. Gods, we were so angry, so bitter and hurt. Well, some of us. There were some that didn't seem to care that everything was being taken away from us. Our dignity, our pride, our reason. It was being ripped from our hands.  
_ _And then... then they found Crowe.  
_ _Her death had put life into a bit of perspective. We Kingsglaive weren't invincible. Sure, I'd seen others die, but... Crowe. Gods be damned, I never thought it'd be her. And if Libertus was a wreck before, losing Crowe sent him off the edge. I knew he was taking too many pain pills, but who was I to tell someone how to deal?  
_ _Crowe had been sent to get the Princess to Altissia to meet you. So when Lady Lunafreya showed up alone, with the Emperor and the Chancellor, that knot grew. I should have known.  
_ _I should have known.  
_ _Noct, I swear to the Six that I did everything that I could. The Captain was missing, so I took command when I found out she was gone. Lady Lunafreya. If it wasn't for Crowe, I never would have found her. But... that was the point. To draw us away. I left my post at the Citadel. I went straight to your father because I knew he'd understand. I knew he'd want what was best for her, and he told me to find her. I took what Glaive I could muster, and I led them out of the city. Away from the ceremony.  
_ _Away from your father.  
_ _Members of the Glaive had become disenfranchised by the peace treaty, feeling that the King was betraying all we stood for, all we'd fought for. The younger members, mostly. Ones who still had standing homes in the areas of Lucis that had been taken. I can only imagine the things they'd convinced themselves that set them against their oaths to Lucis. They were killing each other. Can you imagine that? Glaive murdering Glaive. I couldn't do anything, couldn't stop them. I had to protect her. She was my responsibility. Lady Lunafreya had to come first. And... she saved my ass more than once in the process. She's pretty incredible. Dove out of a crashing ship. For someone with no magic, she seems to believe she can do whatever she wants.  
_ _She told me,_ "Not all miracles come from magic," _as if that was supposed to convince me of her ability to make me follow her. But if I hadn't, she wouldn't have made it, Oracle or not. All I could think was that I have to save her for you. I had to save her for the whole of the world. As hell bent as she was to reach your father, I had to make sure she got there.  
_ _Highness… your father. In the end, he loved you. More than anything, he loved you. He understood what he'd done, how he'd betrayed so many just to save your life. I think he knew it was going to go down that way. I think he knew that this peace was never going to happen. I think… I think he stopped being a king where you were concerned, and just wanted to be your dad. I'm ashamed to admit it, but… I got pissed at him. Over you. I didn't understand, didn't know. He begged me to see her get out, begged me to protect her, and to understand that he did what he did for the love of his son, his only son and heir.  
_ _I was there… I had to watch. I had to watch General Glauca, no… Captain Drautos… murder your father. The Captain, my mentor, my_ friend _, murdered the King. I didn't know it was him at the time. But if I had, I would have torn down that barrier his Majesty put up between him and us. I would have broken through with my bare hands to kill the bastard myself.  
_ _In the end, though… in the end, after everything… she got out. I know she did, Libertus wouldn't let me down. And maybe he got out with her, I don't know. But my gut told me that she got out. She's free out there somewhere, probably looking for you just as hard as I know you're looking for her. And I have to find a way to get you back, so you can find her, save her._

Noctis was staring at his hands, which were clenched into hard fists. As he had talked, Nyx had shifted to sit beside him, their shoulders touching. Carefully, Nyx reached over and put his hand over one of those fists. It shook, but slowly loosened.  
"She is out there," the Prince said softly. "I've heard from her. The book. And Umbra. I know she's alive. She made it out thanks to you."  
Nyx smiled a little, rubbing his thumb against Noctis's hand.  
"Libertus saw her out," he said. "I was preoccupied with other matters."  
"What do you mean?"  
Nyx sighed, withdrawing his hand. He got up and started pacing. Noctis looked concerned.  
"Nyx… what is it?"  
The Glaive shook his head, moving to sit down again. "Nothing. I don't want to add to what you're going through right now. I'll tell you the rest another time."  
Noctis looked ready to argue when it suddenly hit him, like a hard blow to the stomach. Nyx had seen his father die. Nyx knew his father was dead. Nyx _verified_ that Regis was gone. His breath caught in his throat, his lungs feeling full of stones. Hot tears welled up in his eyes, cascading down his cheeks before he could get his hands up to wipe them away.  
"Oh… oh n-no…" he gasped, fighting to breathe. "D… dad… no… no no…"  
It hurt; each breath, each heartbeat, it hurt so much in so many ways, he didn't know where to start. He stared at his hands, clenching tighter until he could feel the hot blood seeping around his fingernails. It hadn't really meant much when Cor had told him, because Cor hadn't _been there_ , but Nyx had. Nyx had seen it with his own eyes, and there was no way he'd lie about it.  
Nyx shifted to kneel in front of Noctis, prying his hands open and pressing soft cloths into them. He remained silent as Noctis shed his tears.  
"Dad… I'm so sorry…" the Prince groaned, squeezing his eyes closed. "I'm sorry…"  
Frowning, Nyx reached up to grip Noct's face gently in his still-gloved hands. He ran his thumbs over smooth cheekbones, wiping tears away. Noctis leaned into the affectionate touch, drawing in a shaky breath. Bright blue eyes, made brighter by the tears still forming in them, opened on Nyx, and the Glaive felt his own breath catch. He'd only ever seen Noctis cry once before, for a much different reason. But these tears, the sadness and grief and despair they carried turned his eyes to icy diamonds.  
Without thinking, he pressed forward, crushing his lips into Noctis's. The Prince made a small sound, his hands coming up to grip Nyx's wrists, unmindful of the blood he was smearing on his gloves. Fingers clenched as Noctis pushed to deepen the kiss. He felt like it had been years since he'd felt Nyx this close to him. And for Nyx, it HAD been years.  
The kiss broke and Nyx moved, lifting Noctis into his arms as he sat back on the couch. He cradled the prince to his chest, soothing fingers running over his hair. Noctis curled into Nyx's arms, crying quietly, holding his jacket in trembling hands. Nyx held him long after the tears had passed, once the shaking in Noctis had fallen away to a few tremors and a case of the sniffles. The hands had let go of his jacket and lay limply on the prince's chest.  
"Nyx…"  
"Not now, Noctis."  
Noctis sighed, falling silent again. Nyx seemed to have read his mind, so he put the question away for later. Not that he had much choice, anyway. Nyx was definitely a brick wall when he wanted to be. So, they sat in silence, Nyx's fingers still playing through his hair slowly relaxing him into a light doze, his breathing regulating and becoming soft. Sleep eventually took him completely.  
Carefully, Nyx got up and carried Noctis into his small bedroom, laying him gently in the bed. Making him comfortable, Nyx returned to the couch, stretching out. He kicked off his boots, letting them fall onto the carpeted floor carelessly. He crossed his ankles, looking up at the ceiling as he peeled off his gloves. With a soft sigh, he lifted his left hand, staring at the burn scar around the ring finger, spreading like a web down the palm and over the knuckles, down the backside of his hand. Scowling, he dropped it down onto his stomach, out of his line of sight.  
Noctis would need time, he knew that. There was so much to take in, so much information to process. He'd be out of sorts for a while, and Nyx wasn't sure how he was going to help him. But he'd try, and that was all he could do.


End file.
